Anyone looking for a room or flat to rent in the Netherlands knows that finding one in your budget is as difficult as a trek to Mordor. One recent room listing, however, just about takes the cake for sheer audacity.
Rotterdam resident Vanessa Bruin took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share screenshots of a rental listing that had caught her eye.
And, at €1050 a month for a 9m2 room, the screenshots raised as much ire as they did brows.
Say goodbye to long showers!
The room was advertised on HousingAnywhere — an international website for mid to long-term rentals — that’s popular with international students and expats in the Netherlands.
Whilst the audacious price may have garnered the most criticism, it was the line ‘you are only allowed to shower for FIVE minutes a day’ that truly pushed things over the top.
5 minuten douchen 🧐 pic.twitter.com/aDsRHOt60I
— Vanessa Bruin 💚🤍💚 (@vanessabruin010) February 4, 2024
Translation of the first tweet: Room to rent, 9m2, the rest of the facilities must be shared with two other tenants. Price 1,050 euros per month. And oh yes… you are only allowed to shower for 5 minutes a day. Is this extortion? Dishonest*?
Translation of the text in the second tweet:
You will rent a:
- Beautiful neat room with bed, desk, and open cabinet.
- Your room has direct access to a balcony.
- You can make use of the beautiful adjacent bathroom with a shower and washbasin. Shower for a maximum of 5 minutes per day, more use will incur additional costs charged.
- You can use the kitchen.
What are your thoughts on this divisive rental listing? Tell us all your thoughts in the comments below!
*Our editorial team actually had a big discussion on the best way to translate this word. Other options appear to include ‘fraudulent’, ‘malicious’, and ‘malpractice’.